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The Pirates pose with their trophies beneath the scoreboard after winning the Northwest District 6 Majors 2024 title.
Brody Ohler pitched from start to finish and earned the W with a total of 10 strikeouts. He let up just two hits and one run, all in the first inning. A radar, operated by 11-year-old spectator Jeffrey, clocked Ohler’s fast ball at 62 MPH.
Brody Ohler pitched the full game for the Pirates.Riley Klein
The Pirates finished the regular season with a record of 10-2 and earned the top seed in the league tournament. They defeated Torrington Maroon in the semis 13-2 and Tri-Town beat cross-town counterparts the Tri-Town Red Sox 5-4 to advance to the title game.
When the Pirates and Braves last met in the regular season, the Tri-Town Braves, made up of players from Litchfield, Warren, Morris, and Goshen, defeated the Pirates 6-3. Under the lights at Reeves Field in Thomaston for the championship, the Braves could not repeat their prior success against the Pirates’ defense and ended the season as runners up.
The game went on despite heavy rain at start time Friday night. “We’ll have a nice shower,” said the umpire as he walked out onto the field at 8:30 p.m.
By the time the rain let up in the third inning, the Pirates had climbed to a 7-1 lead. They added three more runs in the fourth inning to go up 10-1.
With two on in the bottom of the fifth, Ohler launched a deep double and brought home Thomas Nichols. With the lead at 10 runs, the game ended by run rule and the Pirates piled up in the infield.
Will Nichols caught coach Tom Downey with an ice bath after the game.Riley Klein
“Everything worked out great, even in the rain. Great season,” said Coach Tom Downey after the win.
Brody Ohler went 3-for-3 at bat with an RBI. Greyson Brooks, Whitlow Cheney, Ronin Hinman, J.T. Farr, and Will Nichols brought in one RBI a piece.
The Pirates advanced to the greater District 6 majors tournament to play the top teams in Litchfield County. They’ll take on Avon at Sperry Park Sunday, June 23. Region One last won the county district title in 1984.
The Pirates piled on Brody Ohler after hitting the walk-off RBI that won them the title.Riley Klein
North Canaan Elementary School students applaud as the flag reaches the peak of a new 35-foot flagpole.
“Red symbolizes valor and bravery. White: purity and innocence. And blue: vigilance, perseverance, and justice,” NCES Principal Alicia Roy said as the student body looked on.
Scouts from Troop 22 presented a 5-foot by 8-foot flag (donated by scout Luca Bascetta) to be raised in traditional fashion.
Scout Master Walter Deane and the scouts from Troop 22 raise the flag at the Robert D. Pierce memorial.Riley Klein
As the flag slowly climbed the 35-foot pole, “Taps” played on bugle courtesy of the scouts. Hands covered hearts for the Pledge of Allegiance once the flag reached its pinnacle.
The new multi-tiered, metal pole was placed atop the base of the Robert D. Pierce Memorial. John and Lisa Jacquier of Jacquier Welding & Steel donated the pole and complete the installation free of charge.
“It’s for the town,” John said. “Just a little something to give back.”
At the site of the memorial once stood a cedar flagpole. The cedar pole fell some 20 years ago and the memorial for Pierce, a renowned civil servant in North Canaan who died in 1948, had been left without a flag for two decades.
First Selectman Brian Ohler presented the Jacquiers with a special recognition plaque to thank them for the donation.
“North Canaan is such a patriotic town. We love our flag, we love our country, and we have some amazing friends in this town,” Ohler said.
Scouts carried out the flag ceremony in traditional fashion.Riley Klein
The Sharon Playhouse honors Bobbie Olsen at its annual Spotlight Gala.
Tricia DeSario, Molly Model, and Michelle Lemon performed at the Sharon Playhouse Spotlight Gala live show.Justin Boccitto
The musical tribute opened — and true theater fans will know what follows — none other than a “Company,” the title song from Stephen Sondheim’s 1970 musical that begins with the chant of “Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby!” With lyrics adapted/parodied by Michael Kevin Baldwin’s husband a Playhouse performer Will Nash Broyles, The Bobbie Olsen tribute medley was sung by “Bobbie’s Angels” a group of six made up of Ricky Oliver, Michael Siktberg, Jeff Raab, Tricia DeSario, Molly Model, and Michelle Lemon. The Angels also performed Broyles-penned versions of songs from “Kiss Me Kate” and “Rent.”
“We wanted to honor Bobbie by recreating numbers or creating new numbers from titles that had been on the main stage when she was president of the board,” Andress said.
The evening also included stand-out performances from talents like Danny Drewes, who will return to the mainstage this summer after last year’s “Something Rotten!” to star in “Rock of Ages” and “The Prom,” as well as Julia Murney (“Wicked” on Broadway and the U.S. national tour), a powerhouse vocalist who will take the director’s chair for “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” and two-time Tony Award and four-time Drama Desk Award nominee Kate Baldwin who will also star in “The Prom.”
As Andress described the upcoming summer at The Playhouse “It’s a season of joy.”
The Playhouse’s creative team, Carl Andress, Michael Kevin Baldwin, and Rod Christensen paid tribute to gala honoree Bobbie Olsen.Justin Boccitto
